Livewire is getting a series in Secret Weapons. The Secret Weapons was one of the books highlighted at Fried Pie Comic Con Vol 2 where Valiant was on hand with a free preview. I of course picked up one of those free previews and happy to say that this series is going to be really cool.

Toylab Review 9/10

Review: Secret Weapons gets a solid 9/10 book. Its smart heady Sci Fi with action with elements that remind of the X-Men back when the X-Men was cool. It feels fresh, the new faces are interesting, Livewire is awesome and Rex-O is terrifying. This is a great book to pick up if you are interested in getting into Valiant comics.

After weeks of training and preparation, the time has come for Livewire and her specially gifted recruits to lure the robotic killer called Rex-O out of hiding! But will this extraordinary new team of heroes rise to the occasion and unlock the power they’ve always harbored inside…or will they find out that they deserved to be left behind? Their lives have led to this moment…and before the battle ends, Livewire and her team’s place in THE ROAD TO HARBINGER WARS 2 will be made clear!

$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | On Sale SEPTEMBER 20th

Update: 8/10/2017

After selling out quickly on its first run Secret Weapons is now on its third printing.

Secret Weapons SDCC Variant 7/10/2017

Valiant will be releasing a new Variant of Secret Weapons at San Diego Comic Con. Additionally, Diamond has said that the issue is approaching sold out status. This would mean that Valiant has another hit comic on their hands this year after XO-Manowar achieived similar status.

Secret Weapons #1 is out now!

Update 5/31/2017 Secret Edition?

Valiant is releasing special Secret Edition versions of Secret Weapons that feature a special cover. The cover is meant to look almost identical to the normal cover but with slight changes that relate to a codified puzzle. Those that can solve the puzzle will learn a secret of the future of the series:

As reported through the Valiant Press Release:

Randomly inserted into the print run of SECRET WEAPONS #1’s A cover by interior artist Raul Allen, the SECRET WEAPONS #1 SECRET EDITION is indistinguishable from the A cover except for subtle differences that will not be revealed officially. Rather, eagle-eyed fans will have to crack the gamified elements to uncover the secrets. Readers that manage to obtain the randomly distributed SECRET WEAPONS #1 SECRET EDITION are challenged to decode a major secret at the heart of the Valiant Universe’s most important new series of the summer – one that will reveal the true long term importance of Livewire’s landmark solo debut and the epic events that will follow in its wake…

On June 28th, the secret is out in the Valiant Universe – and in a comic shop near you! Get ready to track the hidden code at the heart of Valiant’s next seminal series as the SECRET WEAPONS #1 SECRET EDITION brings the hunt for Livewire and her extraordinary new team of recruits off of the comic-book page and into the real world.

Comic Trailer

Update 5/5/2017 we have an interview with Livewire herself Ciera Foster!We are excited to bring Valiant fans an exclusive interview with Livewire herself actress Ciera Foster! She is really cool check out this interview to learn how she has gone from a basketball player to a super hero also her connection with Chuck Norris.

Secret Weapon #3 Covers:Really have liked all of the covers for this series. Just found these images of the covers of Secret Weapons #3 and thought I would share them.

Update 4/26/2017 Return of Valiant Validated Signature Series

Secret Weapons is bringing back Valiant Validated Signature Series.
In the early 90s many Valiant comics had a special series of comic that came out with signatures from the creators that were then authenticated by the Publisher themselves. They were called the Valiant Validated Signature Series and they remain hot collector items today. The Valiant Validated Signature Series Comic of Secret Weapons will be signed by writer Eric Heisserer, have a special embossed seal on their cover (Declaring right on the cover the signature is legit) and also come with a Valiant Certificate of Authenticity itself signed by Valiant's Fred Pierce and Dinesh Shamdasani.

How the heck do you get one of these things? Well retailers will get them if they place a qualifying order. If you really want one I would reach out to your local comic shop and ask. My guess is they will sell for more than the regular comic (That is kind of a duh statement).

Perusing online the more common original comics from this series go for around 30 dollars this includes Rai Future Force. However, some rarer ones exist that have asking prices in the hundreds of dollars. I would say overall it definitely increases the value of the comic and is something that is sought by fans. I also think that the embossed logo could really increase the value of the new ones even further.

Another thing this says is that the company really believes in Secret Weapons and Livewire and are really trying to get as many eyeballs on this series as they can. That is kind of an interesting thing in and of itself as it may indicate that Secret Weapons is part of a larger initiative.

In addition to the Signature Series they are also releasing the Prestige Format that comes with a lot of extra things. Valiant is pushing the Prestige format for both Secret Weapons and X-O Manowar. This is basically a reward to people who buy the comics in advance. The time limit on Secret Weapons one is running out if you are interested I suggest clipping the coupon and taking it to your local store now.

About Secret Weapons:

The Secret Weapons series is written by the writer of Arrival, Eric Heisserer. Eric worked with Valiant characters while working on the screen plays for Valiant film ambitions and said he fell in love with the Livewire character and excited to work with the character again on this project.

“Of all the writing I’ve done in the last year, my heart is most in SECRET WEAPONS and its collection of freaks, misfits, and outcasts. And I think a story of a woman who’s shouldered such great burdens, now trying to rescue some lost souls and form a surrogate family, may be one of the most emotional stories I’ve put to paper.

“And where this story goes? Oh man, buckle up.”

Part of Valiant's publishing plan that was outlined in the Valiant Summit was Icons theme in 2017. The publisher felt that in 2016 it was a good time to pull their main characters off of shelves so they could focus on creating new characters. This helped them catapult the character of Faith to being one of the most recognizable characters in comics. In 2017 Valiant wants to bring back its Icons where it begins to launch its most recognizable names, X-O Manowar, Shadowman, Ninjak, Rai, Bloodshot and of course Livewire.

Valiant Store:

Toylab is a member of the Amazon Affiliate program and so we can bring you these awesome deals on Valiant products directly from Amazon to you.

Secret Weapons is going to be a series that focuses on Livewire but also introduces a variety of new Valiant Psiots. These Psiots were discarded by Harada due to their powers being seemingly useless. Livewire will find use for those powers and create a team to take on her former mentor. I think part of the fun of this series is going to be how does Livewire find a use for the powers of these discarded Psiots where her former mentor found none. The story will also unite the team very much against Harada and should bring Livewire's own past as one of Harada's chief lieutenants.

Rex-O who I know from his appearances in X-O Manowar is a villain in the series is hunting down this group of Psiots. Why is he after them and how can they manage to defeat him?

Valiant Announcement of Secret Weapons written by Eric Heisserer.

Official Announcement:

SECRET WEAPONS #1 (of 4)
Written by ERIC HEISSERER
Art & Cover by RAUL ALLEN
$3.99 | 32 pgs. | T+ | VALIANT PRESTIGE | COMING IN JUNE!
The government has dispatched Amanda McKee – the technopath codenamed Livewire – to investigate the ruins of a secret facility formerly run by Toyo Harada, the most powerful telepath on Earth and her former mentor. In his quest for world betterment at any cost, Harada sought out and activated many potential psiots like himself. Those who survived, but whose powers he deemed to have no value to his cause, were hidden away at this installation. But Livewire, having studied Harada’s greatest strengths and learned his deepest weaknesses, senses opportunity where he once saw failure. A young girl who can talk to birds… A boy who can make inanimate objects gently glow… To others, these are expensive failures. But, to Livewire, they are secret weapons…in need of a leader. Now, as a mechanized killer called Rexo seeks to draw them out, Livewire and her new team of cadets will be forced to put their powers into action…in ways they never could have imagined…

“Much like Faith before her, Livewire is a comics icon in the making. She is beloved by fans and adored by creators,” said Valiant CEO & Chief Creative Officer Dinesh Shamdasani. “Finding the right stage for her to shine has been a top priority at Valiant for some time now and, with SECRET WEAPONS, Eric and Raul have crafted something truly special. Not only is this a story quite unlike any Valiant has told to date, but Eric and Raul have created a host of new characters unlike any others in comics. This series is the first step in a long-term plan that will be more than worth the wait, and will have major ramifications for all quarters of the Valiant Universe as we build toward HARBINGER WARS 2 in 2018.

“Without a doubt, Raul is one of the most talented artists in the industry, and every page he sends in leaves jaws on the floor,” he added. “Eric – one of the great storytellers anywhere in entertainment today and one of the sweetest people possible – is able to effortlessly jump between mediums with a passion and intensity that is virtually unrivaled. Together they make an amazing team, and we can’t wait to share their work with the world.”

In addition to his 2017 Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for ARRIVAL, Heisserer has received a host of high-profile awards and nominations for some of the most prominent institutions in entertainment, including the BAFTA Awards, the Writers Guild Awards, the Humanitas Prize, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Chicago Film Critics Association, the Austin Film Critics Association, and more. His next projects will include a key role in shaping Valiant’s five-film slate of major motion pictures at Sony Pictures as the writer of the upcoming HARBINGER and BLOODSHOT feature films – currently scheduled for release in late 2018.

“My path to Secret Weapons is a bit wonky,” said Heisserer. “I started writing for characters like Pete, Faith, Livewire, and Bloodshot in the film adaptations of their stories. When I am given the opportunity to translate a property to screen, it’s like adopting someone else’s child for a while. I put in my time, try to respect all the hard work of the original authors, and sooner or later I’m on my way.

“The Valiant characters were different, especially Livewire. I kept thinking about her, long after my official writing services were complete. I wanted back into that world. I had crazy ideas for her powers, and the hard choices ahead of her. So, I asked to build a new book for Valiant, with a new group of faces, all led by Amanda. To my relief, Dinesh and Warren said yes.

“Of all the writing I’ve done in the last year, my heart is most in SECRET WEAPONS and its collection of freaks, misfits, and outcasts. And I think a story of a woman who’s shouldered such great burdens, now trying to rescue some lost souls and form a surrogate family, may be one of the most emotional stories I’ve put to paper.

“And where this story goes? Oh man, buckle up.”

SECRET WEAPONS #1

Written by ERIC HEISSERERArt by RAÚL ALLÉN with PATRICIA MARTINCover by RAÚL ALLÉN

Eric Heisserer – the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter of ARRIVAL and Valiant’s upcoming HARBINGER and BLOODSHOT feature films – joins Harvey Award-nominated visionary Raúl Allén (WRATH OF THE ETERNAL WARRIOR) for an all-new Valiant Prestige-format adventure…launching Livewire and an extraordinary new team of heroes into the fight of their lives!

The government has dispatched Amanda McKee – the technopath codenamed Livewire – to investigate the ruins of a secret facility formerly run by Toyo Harada, the most powerful telepath on Earth and her former mentor. In his quest for world betterment at any cost, Harada sought out and activated many potential psiots like himself. Those who survived, but whose powers he deemed to have no value to his cause, were hidden away at this installation. But Livewire, having studied Harada’s greatest strengths and learned his deepest weaknesses, senses opportunity where he once saw failure. A young girl who can talk to birds… A boy who can make inanimate objects gently glow… To others, these are expensive disappointments. But, to Livewire, they are secret weapons…in need of a leader. Now, as a mechanized killer called Rex-O seeks to draw them out, Livewire and her new team of cadets will be forced to put their powers into action…in ways they never could have imagined…